Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 11: A group of human rights activists Thursday said Hi-Tech hospital in Pandra village is releasing toxic sewerage into the Kuakhai river on the sly, heavily polluting the water body.
Submitting a petition to the Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC), the activists alleged the hospital has built an illegal culvert in the river’s embankment area through which it dumps all its biological waste.
“The hospital authorities have also constructed a hidden sewerage plant through which they release toxic water into the river. The continuous dumping has infected the river water which is used by surrounding villagers for agriculture and household use,” said Pradipta Nayak, one of the
petitioners.
A concrete wall, which is in decrepit condition, separates the sewerage plant from the river. This results in leakage of sewage into the river.
Polluted water continues to flow into the river, posing grave health risks to the residents of surrounding areas, the petitioners said, adding that neither the hospital administration nor the government took steps to address the issue despite repeated complaints by concerned residents.
The petitioners said two effluent treatment plants built by the hospital were dysfunctional.
The activists, from the Orissa Human Rights Protection Foundation (OHRPF), visited the area after the issue was reported in Dharitri and Orissa POST a week back. “We came to know about it through Orissa POST. Later, when we visited the area, we found the complaints to be genuine and decided to bring this to the notice of the OHRC,” said Amogh Mund, another petitioner.
